Sitting in a classroom and taking directions from a teacher may still be considered the normal way of learning, but the internet is continuing to change the way education is being delivered.
The expansion of the National Broadband Network is also allowing a growing number of new migrants and refugees to access English language lessons away from a formal classroom.
Peggy Giakoumelos reports.
For new migrants and refugees, acquiring or improving their English remains a priority on arrival.
How this is done depends on a range of factors such as finding the time outside of work and personal responsibilities to study and attend classes.
The adult migrant education service, AMES, has recently begun running virtual English language classes as part of a trial program funded by the federal government.
Caitlin Halliwell is the distance learning manager who oversees the program.
She says this is the first time AMES is offering an interactive classroom experience.
"We deliver virtually to any client who has to work during the day and is at home with small children and can't get into a classroom and those that live regionally. But this is the first time that we've actually had a group of students able to participate online. Before that it was just the teacher and the student online together, so this sort of adds that social aspect to the virtual classroom as well."
In July of this year, the Minister for Multicultural Affairs Senator Kate Lundy launched the next phase of the trial which was first announced early last year.
The latest stage is seeing virtual classrooms now become active in Victoria, Sydney and the Australian Capital Territory, with other locations set to follow.
Caitlin Halliwell says the trial is open to anyone who has access to an NBN connection, but people also need to meet criteria set by the Adult Migrant English Program to participate.
She describes how the virtual classrooms work.
"We have up to six students online at the same time with their teacher, and they're able to participate in interactive resources that are programmed into their virtual classroom. They're also able to split into small groups in pairs in separate breakout rooms. So it's almost like being in a real classroom except they could be participating from their loungeroom or from a digital hub and it allows them to work language acquisition and hold discussions and work on writing paragraphs and essays as well together and then present that back to the classroom group as well."
Virtual classroom student Joanna Wang says when she first got to Australia she studied English in a classroom setting, on her own and with a tutor before participating in the current trial.
Because she doesn't have an NBN connection at home, she has to use a so-called digital hub set up at the Brunswick Neighbourhood House in Melbourne, where a fast network is available.
"I have to go to the multicultural hub, where the network is much faster than my own house. Also I have to go there at a certain time because there is only one class running, but looking into the future I can do it at home it's going to be more convenient for me."
Joanne Wang says she can't quite pinpoint why, but it can sometimes feel a little strange being in a virtual classroom.
Despite the lack of physical contact AMES says that for some students who may be isolated, a virtual class may be the only time they speak English in structured way.
Joanna Wang says the convenience of eventually doing the classes at home, would compensate for not being able to physically attend a class.
"It is very different because we are not in the same classroom with the teacher as we usually do. Also sometimes we don't even have the classmates in the same room, and I think that is a major difference. Even though I can't use the classroom anytime I want, it still benefits me. I'm not going to waste travelling time and I guess in the future there are going to be more classes available at different times."
Four virtual classrooms have so far been set up with up to six students and the classes are taught by teachers based in Melbourne.
Students are currently in Sydney the ACT and Melbourne and the trial will eventually involve 200 students over two years.
The classes are operated under the umbrella of the Adult Migrant English Program.
